Failure to reach a settlement during a two-hour hearing on Wednesday morning
will result in a date for a full tribunal being fixed, most likely at the
end of the season

The legal battle between Eva Carneiro, Chelsea and Jose Mourinho is set to begin in earnest on Wednesday during a private hearing at an employment tribunal.

There was no sign of a deal being struck on Tuesday to avert Carneiro’s constructive dismissal and sex discrimination claim being presented to a senior judge at London South Employment Tribunal in Croydon.

Failure to reach a settlement during a two-hour hearing scheduled to start at 10am – which Carneiro could attend in person – will result in a date for a full tribunal being fixed, most likely at the end of the season.

Wednesday’s hearing will see both sides advise the judge of the evidence they are putting forward, which is likely to include e-mails and text messages sent by Carneiro, the club, and Mourinho before and after she was banished from the bench by the Portuguese.

Eva Carneiro stands to win hundreds of thousands of pounds

The trigger for her exile – and ultimate departure – was Mourinho’s anger over her decision to treat Eden Hazard during the closing stages of Chelsea’s match against Swansea on the opening day of the Premier League season.

Mourinho was cleared by the Football Association of using sexist language towards Carneiro, having denied any wrongdoing.

He may be ordered to give evidence in person at a full employment tribunal, although he could only be fined a maximum of £1,000 if he refused to do so.

But he could be personally liable to pay Carneiro hundreds of thousands of pounds in compensation if she wins her case and Chelsea failed to indemnify him against her claim as part of his severance package.